JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Feb. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Even though eye care doctors and manufacturers provide instructions about caring for and wearing contact lenses, studies show that many contact lens wearers do not comply with the recommended replacement frequencies and fail to discard their lenses after the scheduled time.

Forgetting which day to change their contacts is most commonly cited by wearers as the reason for not changing them as instructed. However, according to a new survey of contact lens wearers, ACUMINDER™, a complimentary online reminder tool, is helping them change their behavior.

Since its launch in 2007, nearly 40,000 contact lens wearers have registered for the free service (www.acuminder.com) which sends an automatic reminder via e-mail and/or cell phone text message on when to change contact lenses, and can now also prompt wearers on when to buy new contacts and when to schedule an eye exam. The ACUMINDER™ Tool was developed by VISTAKON®, Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. and maker of ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses, but is open to all contact lens wearers.

Nearly 700 ACUMINDER™ users recently responded to a questionnaire about their contact lens wearing habits. Virtually all (95 percent) said they find the reminder tool useful in helping them remember when to change their lenses, with two-thirds (66 percent) noting that it has improved their contact lens replacement.

Prior to enrolling in ACUMINDER™, 40 percent of survey respondents who wear two-week lenses self-reported that they changed their lenses at or less than every 14 days (average wear time: 19.9 days), Since using the reminder, 76 percent say they now change their lenses at or less than every 14 days (average days worn = 14.7).

"Adherence to prescribed replacement schedules and recommended wearing schedules, as well as regular return visits to the eye care practitioner for yearly examinations, are essential to good eye health, which is why a reminder service such as ACUMINDER™ is so valuable," says Chicago-based optometrist Michael Slusky, O.D. "By not following instructions on proper wear and care, contact lens wearers are more likely to experience discomfort and may put themselves at greater risk for infection or other serious complications."